


I’m Here

by lynxladybuglover



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Rewrite, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Mentioned Princess Alliance in general, Mentioned Scorpia, Mentioned Shadow Weaver, POV Adora (She-Ra), POV Glimmer (She-Ra), She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) Season 5 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24840406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynxladybuglover/pseuds/lynxladybuglover
Summary: Glimmer doesn’t know where Adora went. The halls of the Crystal Castle all looked the same, and she and Bow weren’t making any progress. When Catra and Shadow Weaver arrive, telling of even worse danger coming for Adora, Glimmer knew one thing for sure: she was not leaving Adora behind.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	I’m Here

Catra, Shadow Weaver, and Melog materialized in the center of the corridor, and Glimmer stumbled backwards. Catra’s ears were screwed back, eyes wide in panic. Shadow Weaver hissed and stumbled over to the corridor wall, hunching over, while Catra launched herself like a spring at Glimmer, digging razor sharp claws into her shoulders. 

“Where’s Adora?!”

“She- she _left_ us,” Glimmer spat, crying. Bow looked down at the ground next to her. “She‘s headed to the Heart on her own!”

Even in her own state of distress, Catra seemed panicky, on the verge of shaking apart, but Glimmer couldn’t deny she felt halfway there herself. She thought Adora wanted them there with her, but… Glimmer pressed her lips together. Bow stepped forward, steady, and cut off whatever Catra was about to say.

“Catra, what’s going on?” Bow asked firmly.

“Horde Prime is onto you, he’s hacking into the planet, he’s going to kill her!”

Glimmer raised her hands to her mouth, felt them trembling, and forced them into fists at her side instead. _No time for that, Glimmer,_ she thought sharply, even as she felt her eyes grow hot.

Catra rubbed at one of her eyes, quickly, and then, voice trembling like a taut wire, “That’s not all, Horde Prime has Entrapta-”

“And that means the other princesses are still chipped,” Bow finished, and rubbed his face with a hand. “We have to get back up there.”

“We can’t just leave Adora,” Glimmer said, looking pleadingly at Bow.

“I’ll stay,” Catra said quickly, teeth gritted and fists shaking. “I’ll find her.”

“With who, Shadow Weaver?! I can still teleport, I can catch up with Adora the fastest,” Glimmer argued hotly. “Bow, if Melog teleports you up there do you think you can do something about Horde Prime’s tech?”

Bow looked her up and down. She knew her eyes must be glittering with both the power of her runestone and unshed tears. She refused to budge on this. She would not leave Adora behind. He sighed, and smiled a little. 

“Go get her, Glimmer, I’ve got this.” Glimmer wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tightly, and pressed her face into his shoulder. Bow drops his chin against her hair, and she feels the warmth of his breath on her scalp. Glimmer wondered if this would be the last time she ever saw him, or the last time he ever saw her.

“And I suppose I am supposed to accompany him?” Shadow Weaver drawled, now standing under her own power, arms crossed.

Catra glared and yanked Glimmer away from Bow by the hand. “Do whatever you want, I don’t care, let’s just GO, sparkles!”

Glimmer glanced at Bow. They shared a heavy nod, and he pulled his bow from his back and put a hand on Melog. Shadow Weaver stood for a moment, eyes glowing as cold and inscrutable as always. Glimmer felt Catra’s claws dig into her palm, the shivery hiss of her swift breath. She couldn’t help but tense herself, unsure what to expect. But Shadow Weaver turned and left with Bow without a word. 

The corridor was empty.

Glimmer took a deep breath, and met Catra’s eyes. She squeezed her hand back and tried to smile at her, but thinks it wasn’t very comforting. Catra was still tense, pupils narrowed to pin pricks.

“Hold on tight,” Glimmer said grimly. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”

They vanished in a shower of purple sparkles.

* * *

Glimmer and Catra saw her at the same time. The regal figure of She-Ra up ahead, back to them, regalia turned sickly green by the light of Horde Prime’s infection, but after a moment she… shuddered, and Adora was dwarfed by the silhouette of her alter-ego.

“Adora?!” Glimmer called, frantic. “You’ve got to-”

Immediately, She-Ra’s form shuddered again as Adora’s head snapped around to face them. Glimmer saw one of her ice blue eyes widen.

“ADORA!” Catra shouted, leaping forward with hand raised just as a gargantuan guardian beast lunged at Adora. 

Adora had a moment to spin toward the monster, but it was too late, and she slammed against the wall in a loud groan of steel. 

She-Ra vanished around her as she fell from the dent in the wall to the ground. 

“ADORA!” Glimmer couldn’t be sure who screamed, but her heart raced in her chest, and her palms were sweating, and the monster charged towards Adora’s fallen body.

 _It can’t end like this, no, no, no….!_ Catra charged forwards next to her, but the monster swiped its tentacles at Adora while they ran, cutting an ugly green gash in her arm. Adora groaned and struggled to all fours, hair falling in front of her eyes. She looked up into the reflective eyes of the creature, a kaleidoscope of her beaten up form, as it bared it’s gaping maw of canines at her, and Glimmer felt something snap inside. She pushed and pushed, aborted sparkles falling from her fingertips, the serpent rising up and casting its shadow over Adora, and finally pushed through her limit, teleporting in front of Adora, arms trembling but spread wide.

“Don’t touch her!” Glimmer snarled, and as she did, heat rushed through her wing markings. It burned like Shadow Weaver’s magical lightning trap, back when she was captured in the Fright Zone, and she screamed in pain and protective fury as light pours from her shoulder blades. The serpent reared back as, in a great flash, two large, spectral wings rose tall from her back. They shimmered like stardust, and their gentle glow overpowered the sickly green light surrounding Adora.

“Glimmer…?” whispered Adora, staring blearily up at her. 

Glimmer cast a glance over her shoulder and smiled tiredly. “I’m here, Adora.”

The creature wailed, still cowering away from the flash, and Glimmer spun around and lifted Adora into her arms, letting her head loll tiredly into the crook of her neck. Glimmer creased her brows at the shallow breaths puffing against her sternum.

“Catra, I’m getting her out of here!” Glimmer said, bending her knees. “Meet me at the door!”

Glimmer glanced to the side and then realized her mistake as Catra leapt and rolled over a huge swipe of its tail. Catra paused only a moment in a crouch, before gracefully ducking under a second swipe that rustled her ears, and scaled the beast’s side. It swung haphazardly back and forth, screeching, swatting its tentacles at Catra’s tiny form but only making minor scrapes, and then charged at the wall. Catra dove at the ground, coming up in a roll as it slammed into the crystal, and turned her head, glaring into Glimmer’s wide eyes.

“Get her out of here! Go!” 

“Catra-!”

“This thing doesn’t stand a chance against me, sparkles,” Catra said, smirking even as she barely dodged another blow. “I’ll catch up with you!”

Glimmer looked down at Adora panting into her neck, forehead beaded with sweat. She pressed her lips together. 

“You better!” she shouted, glaring, but then smiled a little tremulously. “Or- or I’ll never forgive you, Horde scum!”

Her wings came down in a powerful stroke that lifted her and Adora into the air and she launched, swift as an arrow, at the door Adora had stood before only minutes ago. She gracefully corkscrewed around the creature’s flailing tail, and Glimmer held Adora tighter. _Everything will be okay. I will not lose anyone else!_

She zigzagged down the identical hallways, focused determinedly ahead instead of on the weak figure in her arms. _The Heart has to be this way or Adora wouldn’t have headed here. You’ll make it, you’ll make it, you’ll make it…_

Finally, Glimmer burst into a large chamber, but fell back to her feet as she gaped up at a glowing, crackling orb she knew must be the Heart. It dwarfed her and Adora, and the air prickled with its pulsing electricity, so bright it made her squint. Her wings fluffed and curved in front of Adora protectively.

“A-Adora? We’re here, we’re at the Heart.” She looked down worriedly at her friend’s tense features. “Adora?”

Adora groaned and mumbled something incoherent. Glimmer sat down on her knees, laying Adora’s head in her lap and clutching one of her hands in her own. She rubbed it with her thumb.

“I need you to stay awake, Adora,” she begged, clenching her eyes shut tight. “We all need you to be okay…!”

Glimmer pauses. She swallows the lump in her throat, and brings a hand to Adora’s cheek.

“I… _I_ need you to be okay.”

“Adora?” Catra whispered. Glimmer started, and turned to see Catra enter the room. Her claws clicked on the crystal. Glimmer removed her hand from her cheek, tucking it neatly into her lap.

Catra had poisonous green scrapes along one arm and along her cheeks, but walked without a single hitch in her stride as she knelt down next to Adora. Her mismatched eyes studied Adora’s face intently, and she reached one hand out to her face. It remained hovering in the air.

“Why isn’t she getting up?” Catra asked. “She’s never given up on anything in her life, why isn’t she getting up?!”

The glowing symbol of the failsafe sputtered on Adora’s chest, and Adora’s eyes fluttered. Catra fisted her hands in her lap.

“Catra…”

Catra grabbed Adora by the front of her jacket and shook her harshly. “DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP NOW! Not after everything, not after I got you back!”

Glimmer stared, watching the tears pour out of Catra’s eyes, and took a deep breath. She looked down at Adora.

“There’s so much left for you, for us! Bow, Scorpia, Mermista, everyone in the princess alliance… We still want you here, even if the world is saved! Even if you aren’t She-Ra! We have a whole future together, waiting for us-!” Glimmer choked, tears plopping quietly onto Adora’s cheek.

Catra released her grip on Adora’s jacket, leaving her lying in Glimmer’s lap again, and rasped, “Don't you get it? I love you. I always have. So please…! _Stay!_ ”

Adora moaned again, and her eyes slitted open. Glimmer leaned in close, desperately cupping her cheek. 

“Adora?!”

“It’s too late. I’ve failed…” she sobbed, leaning into Glimmer’s hand. Catra grabbed Adora’s hand.

“No, no, no, Adora, it’s okay, just stay awake,” begged Glimmer. “I’m here, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”

Glimmer studied Adora’s hopeless, teary eyes, and lifted her upright, holding them face to face. Her wings curled around them, shielding them from the toxic light as Catra ducked closer, head almost on her shoulder. If Adora wouldn’t wake even for Catra’s confession, what hope did she have? But… It was now or never. And Adora needed her.

“Adora, you told me this once when we were both fighting, and angry, and-and I listened to you then. Please listen to me now; I need you here, Adora.” Glimmer tipped her head forward, pressing her circlet into Adora’s forehead as she weeped, wrapping her arms tightly around her.

The beating of the Heart, the loud thunderous crashes of its electricity, the rasp of Catra’s breathing, it all melted away into the quiet space enclosed within her wings. Under her arms, she felt Adora’s chest rise higher, heard her take a deep gulp of air, and her voice, soft but clear, rang out. “Glimmer— I’m here…”

Adora’s eyes were clear and lucid, and she smiled weakly up at Glimmer’s crying face. She reached a hand up and cupped Glimmer’s cheek, brushing away her tears with her thumb, and then cupped Catra’s, who nuzzled her. Adora focused on Catra’s gaze over her shoulder, and her brows furrowed a little. 

Out of the corner of her eye, Glimmer saw Catra grin at Adora, still crying, and reach up for Adora’s hand. She lifted it from her cheek, and placed it gently back at Adora’s side.

“You deserve your happy ending, Adora,” said Catra. She scooted backwards, ducking under Glimmer’s wing, and turned towards Glimmer. Adora’s eyes widened, and she snapped her gaze to meet Glimmer’s. Glimmer was still weeping, but she was smiling now. Adora’s eyes looked comically wide, and Glimmer couldn’t help a slight giggle. She leaned in, a breath from Adora’s face.

“I love you, Adora.”

Adora raised her eyebrows in surprised joy and beamed, tears in the corner of her eyes.

“I love you, too.”

And as they kissed, Glimmer tucking her wings tightly around Adora, she sensed as Adora shifted and grew into She-Ra, a golden glow behind her eyelids as the room flooded with light.

* * *

Etheria was awash with golden light and flowers. Magic hovered in the air in the form of globules or hung in the trees like vines. She-Ra stood, resplendent, above it all. Horde Prime was gone. Etheria- the galaxy- was saved. It was over- or, the worst of it was. The best was yet to come, and Adora... would be here to see it. 

As she thought that, she looked down the incline at her friends. Scorpia was bear-hugging Perfuma and Frosta, who were shrieking with joy, while Mermista stood off to the side with Sea Hawk and groaned. Her arm was around Sea Hawk’s waist though, and Sea Hawk had a fond smile. Entrapta was rambling excitedly a distance away from the group as she clutched Hordak’s hand. He looked a little confused still, and seemed out of place, still in the colors of Horde Prime. But when Entrapta leaned up into his face, levered up by her hair, he smiled a little at her, so Adora figured he and Entrapta would weather things together, whatever good or bad would come for them. 

Bow was standing beside Castaspella as they watched Glimmer and Micah’s tearful reunion. Adora saw Glimmer hugging her father, wings and arms, Micah wobbling backwards and laughing, and smiled. Probably best to give them some space. As Adora turned her head, she tensed as she realized she couldn’t see Catra, lifting her sword-

“Hey Adora.”

Catra stood down the incline to Adora’s right, smiling slightly with Melog at her heels. Adora relaxed and smiled back. She let her She-Ra sword fade away.

“Why aren’t you with the others?” 

“I already talked to Scorpia, and I didn’t want to push my luck with the others,” she said, gaze cutting over to the group. “Scorpia… I was a mess, and I took it out on her. I’m not surprised she can’t forgive me yet.”

Adora softened, and reached her hand out, but held it to her chest at the last second. 

“Catra…”

“I hurt her. Bad,” she admitted. “And she won’t be ready to try again for a while. So I’m hitting the road.”

“What?! Catra, wait, you don’t need to do that,” Adora objected, quickly grabbing her shoulder. Catra shrugged her off, stepping back, and smiled sadly.

“I know I don’t. But after everything...I have a lot of soul-searching to do, you know? I wasn’t... good for you, or for Scorpia— or myself. I need to find out who I am now, and I can’t do that here.” 

“...Okay. Will you come back?”

Catra cackled and punched her shoulder. “Of course I’m coming back, dummy! We promised to look after each other, right?” 

Catra tilted her head, smiling fondly. Adora smiled, teary-eyed, back. A little girl’s voice echoed in their ears— _I promise..._

“Yeah. Take care of yourself, Catra.”

Adora and Catra met in the middle, hugging tightly. Adora leaned down, tilting her chin into Catra’s scruffy hair. They pulled back, holding each other’s forearms, to look each other in the eyes. Catra had been in her life so long, as her friend, her enemy, her nightmare… Adora wasn’t sure, but she thought it would be nice for Catra to be farther away for a while. For Catra to not be the center of her life anymore.

Catra suddenly vanished, and reappeared farther away with Melog. Catra was on the opposite side of the hill as the others, toward the direction of the Rebel Base. Catra lifted an arm high and waved, cupping her mouth to yell, “I’m getting my junk! Have fun at the after party for me, you know princess stuff makes me gag!”

Adora laughed and waved back. Catra turned and, resting a hand on Melog’s head, they disappeared. Adora remained still for a moment, just smiling to herself, and then looked over her shoulder to check on Glimmer.

Glimmer was lifted into the air, her wings ruffled, as she struggled against Scorpia and Micah’s grips. She just caught Micah commenting “my little girl, all grown up!” and Glimmer’s embarrassed “da-ad!” The princesses were all cheering and laughing. Frosta reached up with grasping hands at her transparent feathers, eyes sparkling, but Glimmer giggled and yanked them away.

Glimmer looked up. Adora’s eyes met hers across the glowing field. Glimmer blushed cherry red and smiled shyly, and Adora felt her own face flush. Adora descends the hill towards the group. Mermista and Sea Hawk stepped out of the way for her, smirking, and Mermista winked. Micah gave them both knowing looks as he and Scorpia set Glimmer on the ground again.

Glimmer and Adora stared into each other’s eyes. Glimmer… she looked so beautiful, her circlet shimmering in the light, her pink wings tucked against her back. She had the little crooked smile she wore when she got unexpectedly happy, the soft crease of her eyes she got whenever she beamed. 

“Glimmer...”

Glimmer shook her head slightly and held out her hand, eerily reminiscent of her dream in the Crystal Castle. Adora let herself fade into her normal self, the ethereal light of She-Ra draining, and she reached for her hand. Adora thought she might hear the group whispering lowly around them, but nothing could tear her from Glimmer at this moment.

“Hey,” said Glimmer. “C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

Glimmer pulled her in close, making Adora flush even darker, and swiftly swung her into a bridal carry. She crouched down low, and with a mighty flap of her wings burst into the air. They flew upward in a thrilling corkscrew, laughing and buffeted by wind while the startled shouts of the others faded away. Glimmer paused for a moment at the top of the corkscrew, looking down upon Etheria with her. Miles upon miles of radiant countryside stretched before them. Adora leaned her head into Glimmer’s neck and closed her eyes, humming in her throat. If it could always be like this, Adora would be happy for the rest of her life.

Glimmer scanned the ground and found a steep hill overlooking the field. Adora laughed and held her tighter as they dove towards it, as fast as any falcon. Glimmer snapped her wings up and out at the last moment, rustling them both with a huge gust of wind, and lowered gently onto the grass on her toes. Glimmer and Adora locked eyes again as she set her down.

“Your wings,” Adora said, brushing one delicately with a fingertip. “They’re beautiful.”

“Thanks, A-Adora,” Glimmer replied, blushing…wait, no, flushing, as she started to cry into her fists. 

“No, no, don’t cry!” Adora said, panicking. “Uh, are you hurt? I can help you, it’s okay-!”

“I’m f-fine, I’m just… so happy,” Glimmer sobbed, lowering a fist from one wet eye. “You’re alive, and the war is over now- the, the war is _over_ now…!”

Adora’s face softened, and she folded Glimmer into her chest, resting her chin on her head. 

“Shhh, shhh, it’s okay. I’m here.”

Glimmer and Adora stayed like that for a while, just holding each other and swaying. Adora kneeled and lowered them to the grass, still rocking her as they went. Glimmer let out a final sniffle, and pulled away. They sat, hugging their knees, and leaned against each other. They faced the beautiful view of the meadow instead of each other, but still basked in each other’s presences. Adora couldn’t begin to describe, even to herself, how it felt, feeling Glimmer’s arm against hers, beside her after it all. _I need you here… I’m here._

Glimmer glanced to the side at her briefly, and began twisting her fingers together. Quietly, shyly, she asked, “So you meant it? In the Heart?” 

Adora froze as she processed that. Glimmer- she- what? How could she doubt- SHE was the one who- who-! Adora whipped her head around and stared at Glimmer. Glimmer struggled to meet her eyes for a moment, with a fragile, little smile.

“Of course I did,” Adora said fervently, cupping her cheek in a hand, rubbing lightly with her thumb. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” 

Adora and Glimmer blushed at the same time, but Adora didn't look away. Glimmer’s eyes were magnetizing. Glimmer seemed to take strength from her words, her face relaxing. Glimmer mirrored Adora, cupping her cheek, and replied slyly, “Well, my dad coming back would be number one-”

“Glimmer!” Adora sputtered, laughing hard. 

“But yes, fine, you’re pretty great, too.”

They giggled together, leaning hard into each other’s shoulders, and then looked back up and met eyes. Glimmer had her crooked smile again, and her eyes were soft and sparkling. Orbs of magic floated behind her wings, illuminating her. Their faces were very close. The moment stretched.

“HOW ARE THE TWO HEROES OF ETHERIA DOING?” Bow boomed cheerfully, popping up over the hill edge behind them.

“Bow!” Adora gasped and lunged backward, tightly gripping the front of her shirt. Glimmer did the same, and they quickly met eyes and looked away, turning beet red.

Sea Hawk leapfrogged over Bow and laughed bombastically, and she and Glimmer melted into the grass in embarrassment as the other princesses rushed up behind him, whooping and congratulating them. Mermista hauled Adora up by an arm while Perfuma helped up Glimmer, and Bow met them in the middle for a group hug which the other princesses enthusiastically joined.

Adora shrugged sheepishly at Glimmer and relaxed, when they both shot upwards and shouted in surprise. Scorpia squeezed and lifted the whole group, laughing and saying “I’m a group hugger!” while Mermista yelled to let them down. Scorpia wobbled and stumbled backwards, and the group, shouting and laughing, rolled down the hillside.

Adora rolled to a stop in the grass, still faintly giggling, and soaked in the laughter of her friends. She saved the world, and now? Now she could live in it. Everything was as it should be.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This was very fun to write and I’m really happy with how it came out. Please leave a comment or kudos if you liked it! :) Feel free to skip my rambling about what I did with Catra ahead:  
> Coming in, I knew I didn’t want to wholesale replace Catra’s confession, and that I didn’t want Scorpia to immediately forgive Catra. I didn’t want to do her a disservice by pretending that her confession wasn’t important- for Catra, this was a vulnerability, and it was hard to admit, so it’s important for her character to do so. However, Scorpia was hurt really bad by Catra, and I think she’d need time to accept Catra won’t hurt her again. In the end, it made sense to me that Catra would travel for a while- she’s letting go of Adora and finding who she is on her own, and giving Scorpia her space. So I hope this was a satisfying alternate conclusion for Catra! (My only disappointment is that what happened to Shadow Weaver is extremely ambiguous, but you can imagine whatever you like! In my head, she fought Micah instead of Glimmer so Micah can get some catharsis, but my friend joked that she just ditched everyone and left for the desert. Equally possible!)


End file.
